Maurice Smith and family met with Nick Saban to plead for release
Nick Saban isn’t ready to back down but neither are senior defensive back Maurice Smith and his family, as both parties are currently battling over Smith’s right to transfer to Georgia as a graduate student.
According to AL.com, Saban met with Smith and his parents last week to discuss their disagreement. After speaking for over an hour, Smith’s mother Samyra asked her family to step out of the room in order to speak with Saban alone.
A ‘verbal battle’ that lasted 20 minutes ensued, which led to Saban storming out of the room without conceding his point.
While Smith’s cause has taken on a national perspective, the senior defensive back claims he never intended for that to happen and seems downtrodden at both the attention and what appears to be his unlikely release from Alabama.
“(The situation) is very disappointing just because now that we’ve come to this point and it’s a very heated situation,” Maurice Smith said to AL.com. “There’s a lot of adversity that’s been thrown at me, the university, coach Saban, and it’s really making it something that it’s really not.
“I believe it was something that was just as simple as a transfer. But now it’s kind of transpired into something far greater, and a lot of bad things have been coming out of this. It’s just very disappointing because I never meant to hurt anyone. … I just feel like I’ve earned the right to better myself my last year and go into this season without any doubts.”
wrong or right, Saban should grant Smith’s release. It’s the ‘only possible’ way he’s gonna come out of this fiasco not looking like a total asswipe. Ya never know, Ms Samyra mama might get a BLM like movement started over this mess.
I think kids should be allowed to follow a coach to another school regardless of conference.
Consequences corndog.
Recruits take notice, sitting the bench (even on a NC team) won’t get you to the NFL.
I disagree. It sets a bad precedent to let kids follow a coordinator after he leaves and throwing a fit or having your mother do it for you shouldn’t change that.
How? He just graduated/or is set to graduate in a week so why not let him leave? I think we can all agree not to let underclassmen leave just because they are all in their own feelings, but if they’ve graduated then who cares?
Moron, read the rules, oh wait LA corndog nevermind, LOL
“A member of the Tide’s compliance department was also in the room.”
At first, he wanted to go to Baylor which everyone was good with and that understandable changed. But you can not transfer to another SEC school as per rule. He does not qualify for a waiver.
~You’re Welcome
Moron, read the rules, oh wait LA corndog nevermind, LOL
“A member of the Tide’s compliance department was also in the room.”
At first, he wanted to go to Baylor which everyone was good with and that understandable changed. But you can not transfer to another SEC school as per rule. He does not qualify for a waiver.”
“Moron, read the rules, oh wait LA corndog nevermind, LOL
“A member of the Tide’s compliance department was also in the room.”
At first, he wanted to go to Baylor which everyone was good with and that understandable changed. But you can not transfer to another SEC school as per rule. He does not qualify for a waiver.”
So… if you can’t transfer within conference.. how did the Bama reciever pull off transferring to Mizzou? You (Saban) can’t pick and choose who to hold to ‘rules’ and who to not.
The Bama reciever got to transfer bc he submitted a transfer request during a busy week and someone messed up and didn’t deny the transfer.
“I think kids should be allowed to follow a coach to another school regardless of conference.”
LOL, Millennials
Hell I’m 23 and I can see that its dumb. You could have entire units jumping ship for well liked coordinators.
“you could have entire units jump ship” “Would Les let him go” ? …. If an entire group of young men didn’t want to play for a certain coordinator or be at a certain school any longer, I hope that they would decide to pursue an opportunity at another university. Because this is America. Where you should be free to pursue an education and play a sport at any school you want to. And I’m not sure if Les would or not, but he should. If you really think that your favorite football team losing a part-time contributor (or Leonard Fournette for that matter) is more important than students being able to choose their own path in life, you’re being selfish. If a kid wants to throw a temper tantrum and call his mom, whether he is an 18 year old freshman redshirt or a 27 year old graduate student, he can do that. Because universities don’t own people. Again… this is America. In what world do we not want people to have that right? *cue remarks about responsibility and commitment*…. total BS. If your job didn’t pay well enough or treat you like you wanted, you would find someone that did in heartbeat. These coaches that can leave chasing paychecks after they’ve lied to get a bunch of unpaid 17 year olds to sign the next 4 years of their lives away preaching about commitment make me sick. They are almost as bad as the fans who think their entertainment on 12 days of the year out of their sad lives is more important than 4 years of a student’s life, his education, and the trajectory of his career. It’s so hypocritical to call them entitled for behaving like every other student has the right to do, and then cry like a baby back b*tch when they want to do whats best for them instead of playing for your favorite team… that’s entitlement. You aren’t entitled to their future, their decisions, to be free of their opinions, to have them trot out and entertain you without having a word to say about it. This is america. Get with it.
1. I’m surprised you’re still using the Katy Perry “Corndog” nonsense considering she is voting for HRC.
2. The kid graduated last weekend. Its not like he is a upset freshmen having to sit the bench or change positions. He’s done his time and more than likely would be a starter this season.
3. Would you object if LF7 wanted to go play in Oxford after he graduates in Dec?
Moron, ya’ll keep bringing up the NCAA rules for OM (stick to them now).
Rules are rules, except for Millennials.
~You’re Welcome
Hey little girl, is your mommy or daddy around? You know someone that can help you understand what a GRADUATE TRANSFER is?
Ole Siss violated rules in other ways, these two things are not the same. “Here is some cash to play here” is not the same as “Nope you can’t transfer there”. BUT if your little Katty Perry brain cannot understand that Graduate Transfers are allowed to go to another school and play immediately as long as the new school offers a major that their previous one doesn’t, then I get it.
Do you think LES would let him go? Remember you asked the hypothetical question. So what you think?
Moron, read the rules, oh wait LA corndog nevermind, LOL
“A member of the Tide’s compliance department was also in the room.”
At first, he wanted to go to Baylor which everyone was good with and that understandable changed. But you can not transfer to another SEC school as per rule. He does not qualify for a waiver !
Umm, you were CornDogs LONG before Katy Perry was around.
BamaTime, Who knows with Les, he might actually be crazy enough to let him. Have you noticed that Lil Siss fan hasn’t answered that question?
LandYuppie we both know you had a MissSt fan read my comments to you.
Great humorous post “Rebel Landsharks”. I was laughing so hard I had tears in my eyes. An Ole Miss gal calling someone a Moron and referencing the “Rules”…..Too Funny.
Roadto16 in all of my years I have not heard that until she said it on GameDay and then all the weirdos started using it. I’m pretty sure we don’t even sell corndogs in Death Valley (why would you, the food at the tailgates is way better).
The corndog thing hasn’t been used so much til somebody told Katy Perry all the OM fans would lover her if she did the corndog thing on Game Day. Some of her newly acquired Ole Miss fans think she created the trash talk gimmick in their honor…
you dipschidt… don’t take a job at the carnival guessing ages and weight, yourass sucks at it.
Saban is cutting his own throat. No recruit wants to play for a tyrant.
I’d being willing to bet this situation won’t effect recruiting in the least!!! Most kids think so highly of themselves, and BAMA generally gets highly rated recruits, that they think they’re going to be a starter at BAMA so nothing like this could happen to them!!
Kirby put a block on Miami when Mark left.
Why do sooooooo many hog fans have a crush on bammer? It never fails, Saban or bammer ir rightfully called out for something and low and behold a Hog fan comes to their defense. Odd as hell to me. I have several hog friends and they too have a crush. Sickening
I don’t like bama by any means. But if Enos gets a job I don’t want the whole hawg offense jumping ship. I thought smart did the right thing too.
How many players on Hogs or UT or any other school even qualifies as a graduate transfer? Very misleading to say “the whole offense” transfer with Enos. Very few kids even qualify and even fewer want to transfer.
The very coach he wants to go play for blocked the UGA players from transferring to Miami, so cut it with the “holier than thou” crap.
Was the kid wanting to go to Miami a graduate transfer? Serious question. Also I don’t care if Smart did wrong it doesn’t make what Saban is doing right. You know the old “2 wrongs don’t make a right” thing we all learned as kids?
No, AJ Turman was not a graduate transfer. That’s the misunderstanding between fanbases. UGA fans don’t have a problem with blocking a normal transfer. Even though it sucks , it’s understandable. On the other hand, if a kid has put 3-4 years into a school and graduates, and then wants to prove himself at a high level while attending the graduate school he wants, it shouldn’t be stopped. The fact that he is a grad transfer is why UGA fans are acting differently toward this situation.
What UGA fans have a problem with is perception but it doesn’t matter because a blocked transfer is a blocked transfer…..You can try to spin it however you like but Kirby blocked a transfer Out of conference. Underclassman or graduate exception they are still on scholarship unless released by the school and if the school offers to renew the scholarship then he can’t transfer……
One thing at issue is when he “graduated”. My understanding is he quit on his scholarship in the fall, he did not fulfill his obligations to the school. The rule is simple can not transfer to another SEC school. It is what it is, and quit asking moma to fight for you, grow up be a man and follow the rules.
If you don’t like the Rules, work to get them changed – don’t just whine
It happens. A kid just transfered to Mizzou from another SEC school.
LandShark, you’re a strange one to be quoting the rulebook to people. Your guys don;t go by it…
hahaha^
Great humorous post “Rebel Landsharks”. I was laughing so hard I had tears in my eyes. An Ole Miss gal calling someone a Moron and referencing the “Rules”…..Too Funny.
The kid graduated that means he fulfilled his college application he is an adult adults have the right to choose where they want to live sleep stay etc. You give a kid a scholarship doesn’t mean you own them coaches can leave whenever however they want NCAA has to change the rules this is so unfair for these kids especially graduate transfers should be allowed to go to any school in a conference they already graduated they do not belong to the school
He’s an adult? Yet he had to get his mommy to go fight his battle……….
Why is everyone ignoring the fact that this is an SEC rule not Saban’s rule? He is just following the rules, if you don’t agree with the transfer rule then lobby the SEC to change not trash Saban for following the rule.
Because if Saban will let the kid go so will the SEC. A kid just transferred to Mizzou from another SEC school. But the little tyrant is being his normal jovial self.
A kid from Bama transfered to Missouri. You’re praising him and bashing him in the same post and don’t even realize it.
Not praising at all. Showing the lie being spread by the evil midget. Saban says he can’t transfer within SEC, yet we KNOW that’s not true. Right? So defend his dishonest a$$ now. You know he’s telling a damned lie.
Why are you commenting when you seem to have no idea what’s even being discussed? The school released a statement on it explaining it is an exception to the rule and the choice belongs to the university.
It appears that most of y’all don’t have a clue as to what you’re talking about. First we will start with the simple and easy one, at no point has anything about LSU & a corndog ever been said before Katy Perry said something about it, without any reason as to why. Secondly, what SEC rule are you all referring too ?? Because there is only one SEC rule that prevents a student athlete from transferring within conference, and that rule doesn’t apply to this situation. That rule was just recently put in place by the SEC, and it states that if a student athlete is dismissed from one SEC member school, than they can’t transfer to another SEC member school. That rule was put in place after Saban signed the kid from UGA after he was dismissed fr the UGA football program. Then that same kid was also dismissed from the Alabama football program aftercare that. That’s why that rule was recently put in. But other than that there is no SEC rule that says that a student athlete that is good standing with his current member school of the SEC & the SEC conference as a whole can’t transfer within the SEC conference from one member school to another, period. Thirdly, the only thing the current school can do is control where that student athlete can transfer to or deny it altogether. That is what’s going on in this situation. Now there is nothing Nick Saban, the university of Alabama, the SEC or NCAA can do if this kid quits the Alabama football program and just simply walks on at UGA and paid his own way, he just can’t accept a scholarship from UGA. He would have to sit a year and than he would be 100% eligible to play for UGA the next season. Why would he have to sit a year while being a graduate ?? Because the graduate transfer rule would not longer apply to him, simply because he didn’t transfer to UGA as an graduate transfer. People please don’t make people believe that you’re anymore stupid than what they already think of you by commenting on something that you obviously don’t have a clue as to what you’re talking about. This is on Nick Saban and Nick Saban alone, end of story.
On where to start. First off the corndog title was in place long before Katy said anything so that’s the first thing you’re wrong about. Second all you need to do to see the graduate transfer exception rule is to reference the NCAA rule book. Lastly don’t try to act like “people are stupid ” when you start your entire rant off with a false statement.
Wow man. You just admitted a player FROM BAMA transferred WITHIN the SEC. Remember? Mizzou? Such liars
Come on bamatime! Explain Chris Black. For those who don’t know. He is a grad transfer FROM BAMA to MIZZOU this year. If like the liar coach you have is telling the truth with Smith then how in the hell did Black (also a grad transfer) transfer to Mizzou?
All of you hog fans, Vandy fans et al who are slurping Bama every chance you get. I ask you the same question I ask the liar bammer fans. Why can one transfer within the SEC and the other can’t?
I believe if your team isn’t scheduled to play the team the player is wanting to transferring to, they will grant them a release.
This probably won’t matter to you or change your opinion on anything, but from what I’ve read and heard on the Chris Black situation, he requested to transfer shortly after his surgery in the middle of last season and a university has 7 days to respond, one way or another or the release automatically gets accepted and the player is clear to go. From what I’ve read, it got overlooked and sat on over 7 days since it was right before LSU and midseason, someone dropped the ball, as he would not have been granted release to another SEC team either.
Again why are you commenting when you have proven you have no idea what is even taking place? The university actually released a statement on it….
LOL you guys are as bad as your liar coach. Saban said he can’t release him because it’s an SEC rule. Then all of a sudden people remember Bama released Chris Black. Now they changed their story yet again. The truth is Smith is a quality player and Black isn’t as talented. But neither you nor your liar coach has the intellectually fortitude to admit it.
But he will skate by like always because only a few members of the media has the courage to stand up to the little liar and hold him accountable like they do other coached.
How am I lying? I just explained to you why Chris Black was able to transfer last year to another SEC school…like I said, it doesn’t make a difference to you one way or another, so go take your hate and anger somewhere else bud.
Oh and it’s ‘intellectual’ fortitude, not ‘intellectually’ fortitude…
I don’t know as much about what the SEC or NCAA rules are concerning transfers, graduate transfers etc… So I deserve any criticism I get over my comments on the subject when I’m off base.
But The Corndog thing started a few years ago by some Auburn fan with a post on an Auburn sports social media site. To my knowledge, the original person still has not divulged his/her identity.
The funny thing about it is, some Ole Miss fans, like Rebel_MudShark, seem to think it’s an Ole Miss thing.
The clowns cannot answer the corndog comment without just saying that’s been our nick name. I get that the transfer thing involves people’s interpretation of the rules or LandIdiots interpretation of the words he’s sounding, but the corn dogs thing should be easier.
Growing up in the 80’s, LSU had ‘corndog’ references made about them which I heard. In the 90’s, it was a bigger joke and I was warned repeatedly of the overpowering smell near the stadium when I went to watch a game there. Where was Katy Perry at that time? Oh yeah…
She didn’t invent it. Neither did some AU fan on some website a few years ago. It’s been around a long time (but not nearly as long as Gator Jorts, I’m pretty sure).
Leading off with an incorrect opinion as fact and using it to blast others is a sure way to undermine any credibility you hoped to bring to the argument.
Alabama fans I hate to break your hearts, but Nick Saban doesn’t give a damn about any of y’all or the university of Alabama. He’s in this for Nick Saban and Nick Saban only. He will quit on you in a heart beat if he thinks something better is out there. Just ask Michigan St., why did he leave there to go to LSU ?? Well it because he was only 34-24 as a head coach and could out talent other programs in the big 10. Why couldn’t he ?? Well that’s because the big 10 had 4 year mandatory scholarships for student athletes and not 1 year renewable like the SEC does. Why did he leave LSU ?? Again, to make his name bigger by coaching in the NFL. But little Nicky forgot that he was gonna have to play by the same rules as every other NFL team, playing with equal talent as everybody else didn’t work out for him again, under .500 as a head coach, right ?? The first chance he got to jump ship he did it. Goes to Alabama uses 1 year renewable scholarships in a way they were not intended to be used to built talent depth in his program by using them to process underachieving players out of his program by not renewing their scholarships. No other coach in the SEC does that with the 1 year renewable scholarship accept Nick Saban, NOBODY!!! People act like it’s strange that Alabama has had all of these kids transferring lately, it’s not strange at all. NCAA rule says you can only have 85 scholarship players on your team, he over signed again this past recruiting cycle, but only had like 17 available scholarships to give out. What did he sign ?? Like 25 or 26 players ?? Yes, that’s what he signed this past cycle. Not hard to figure out that somebody has to go, right ?? He doesn’t renew the least beneficial players from the season before scholarships to make room for the new recruits sign for the current cycle. It’s not by coincidence that he became this so-called great coach when he got to the SEC, it’s just simply because he could out talent other programs simply because scholarship rules in the SEC allowed him to be able to, period. Because his coaching still alone while having to play on a level playing field with everybody else have been shown to be average at best. That’s the reason Saban won’t let this kid transfer to UGA, simply because it could be a threat to his personal success and nothing more.
Someone still sounds a little bitter about a certain someone leaving a certain program a decade ago…..
Wow you just make up $tuff as you go don’t you? I could have swore I read an article where Les Miles didn’t renew the scholarship for one of his players. A kicker I believe?……..I’ll step back and wait now why you look like a dumba$$…
There is no rule, sec or otherwise, that says a player can’t transfer within conference. I believe the rule is if they do, they have to sit out a year. Graduate transfer cam circumvent this rule as long as they transfer into a program that isn’t offered at their school. Side note, I know we call them transfers, but let’s be honest they aren’t transferring. If I’m on academic scholarship and I finish a year early, it would be called just going to grad school. And that’s my problem here.
If people are going to argue they shouldn’t get paid because they try free education, implying that the education is more important than the football, then graduates should be allowed to pursue education however they see fit. Whether that’s truly the reasoning or not doesn’t matter. They are not chattle. My issue is the hypocrisy, not the actual action.